Pension Health Insurance Dependent Loss Calculator

See whether starting Korean public pension payments pushes you past the dependent-status income limit and triggers regional health insurance premiums.

Korea-related planning note

This English page is a planning estimate. If the topic involves Korean taxes, pensions, insurance, loans, or public programs, confirm the current Korean rules, limits, and eligibility before acting.

Scenario inputs

Adjust the assumptions to compare gross value, cost drag, tax drag, and downside value.

Net ending value

$522,464

Gross value before drag

$1,953,919

Estimated tax

$0

Fee and tax drag

$1,431,455

Total contributions

$1,600,000

Net gain

-$1,077,536

-67.3%

Downside value

$334,377

Scenario readout

Stress case can fall below contributions

This calculator is based on Korean rules (2026). The interactive fields above are a simplified English planning model; use the detailed guide below for the actual dependent-loss and regional-premium logic.

Related calculators

What is the Pension Health Insurance Dependent Calculator?

This calculator shows whether starting to receive a Korean public pension (National Pension, Government Employees Pension, Private School Teachers Pension, or Military Pension) will cause you to lose your health insurance dependent status, and if so, how much regional (self-employed) health insurance premium you will owe each month.

This calculator is based on Korean National Health Insurance and National Pension rules (2026). If your total annual income, including public pension counted in full, exceeds KRW 20 million (about KRW 1.667 million per month), you lose dependent status and convert to a regional subscriber who pays premiums directly.

Who needs this

  • • Near-retirees about to start their National Pension
  • • People registered as a dependent on a family member’s workplace plan
  • • Anyone weighing early vs. deferred pension claiming
  • • Retirees with financial or rental income on top of a pension
  • • Couples worried about joint loss of dependent status

The 100% vs 50% dual treatment of pension income

Pension income is treated in two completely different ways inside Korean health insurance. Missing this distinction makes the numbers wrong.

1. Dependent eligibility test — public pension counts 100%

When deciding whether you can remain a dependent, public pension is counted in full (100%). Add earned, business, and other income, plus financial income above KRW 10 million, and if the total passes KRW 20 million per year, dependent status is lost.

2. Regional premium assessment — public pension counts 50%

Once you become a regional subscriber, only 50% of public pension is used as the premium base. The 2022 reform raised this evaluation rate from 30% to 50%, but it is still only half. In short: the test uses 100%, the billing uses 50%.

Example: a monthly National Pension of KRW 2 million (KRW 24 million per year) exceeds the KRW 20 million test and loses dependent status. But the regional premium base counts only KRW 12 million (50% of KRW 24 million).

Dependent-loss thresholds in detail

Income requirement

  • • Annual combined income up to KRW 20 million: public pension + earned + business + other, plus financial income above KRW 10 million
  • • KRW 1.667 million per month is the practical break point for pension alone
  • • Business income: if you hold a business registration, any positive business income disqualifies you; if unregistered, the limit is KRW 5 million
  • • Financial income: interest and dividends count in full once they exceed KRW 10 million per year

Property requirement (property tax base)

  • • Up to KRW 540 million: the KRW 20 million income limit applies
  • • KRW 540 million to 900 million: the income limit tightens to KRW 10 million
  • • Above KRW 900 million: dependent status is lost regardless of income

Reverse-solving the maximum pension

The most useful feature is the reverse calculation. Instead of only telling you pass or fail, it computes the largest monthly pension you can draw and still keep dependent status.

The reverse formula

Max annual pension = income threshold (KRW 20M or 10M) − other combined income
Max monthly pension = max annual pension ÷ 12

With no other income, you can draw the full KRW 20 million as pension, or up to KRW 1,666,666 per month. If you already have KRW 12 million of financial income, only KRW 8 million of room remains, so pension must stay under KRW 666,666 per month.

Early vs deferred claiming trade-off

The National Pension can be claimed up to 5 years early or deferred up to 5 years. The timing choice directly affects dependent status.

Deferred claiming — higher pension, higher loss risk

Deferral adds 7.2% per year, up to 36% over 5 years. A monthly KRW 1.5 million pension deferred 5 years grows to about KRW 2.04 million (KRW 24.48 million per year), passing the KRW 20 million line and losing dependent status. Part of the increase is offset by the new premium.

Early claiming — reduced pension, dependent status kept

Early claiming cuts 6% per year, up to 30% over 5 years. A KRW 2 million normal pension becomes KRW 1.4 million (KRW 16.8 million per year) after 5 years early, staying under KRW 20 million and keeping dependent status. The pension is smaller, but the premium stays at zero.

The calculator lines up early, normal, and deferred side by side, showing each monthly pension, whether dependent status holds, the monthly premium, and net income after premiums.

Watch out for joint spousal loss

Dependent status is managed per household. If a couple are both dependents on a child’s workplace plan and one loses status through pension income, the spouse may convert to a regional subscriber at the same time.

  • • Regional premiums are assessed on combined household income and assets
  • • Both spouses’ pensions are counted, raising the bill
  • • A spouse re-registered as another family member’s dependent can avoid loss

Frequently asked questions

Q. Does receiving the National Pension always cause dependent loss?

A. No. If total annual income including public pension stays at or below KRW 20 million (KRW 1.667 million per month), you keep dependent status and pay no premium.

Q. Do private pensions (annuity savings, IRP) count?

A. Only public pension counts 100% in the dependent income test. Private pensions such as annuity savings and IRP are excluded. The monthly pension input on this page means public pension.

Q. When do premiums start after loss?

A. Dependent status is re-reviewed each year using the prior year of income. Because of that reporting lag, actual billing often starts later than the pension itself.

Q. Does the result exactly match the NHIS bill?

A. This is an estimate based on 2026 rates and the fee schedule. Actual charges vary with detailed asset items, household composition, and reductions, so confirm exact amounts with the National Health Insurance Service.

Key 2026 health insurance rates

  • Health premium rate 7.19%: raised in 2026 after two frozen years; applied to the assessable regional income base.
  • Long-term care rate 13.14%: multiplied on the health premium, up from 12.95% in 2025.
  • Property points at KRW 211.5 each: after a KRW 100 million deduction from the property tax base.
  • Car premium abolished: regional car premiums ended in February 2024.
  • Dependent income limit KRW 20 million: unchanged since the September 2022 reform.

Check whether your pension keeps dependent status

Enter your monthly pension to instantly see dependent status and the regional premium.

Reverse-solve the maximum pension and compare early vs deferred claiming to plan ahead for retirement health costs.